Golden Abode of Buddha Shakyamuni

The Central Khurul is the leading Buddhist religious landmark of Elista. Its official site describes it as the main Buddhist temple of Kalmykia and a major spiritual, educational and cultural centre. The 14th Dalai Lama consecrated the construction site in 2004.

The khurul was inaugurated on 27 December 2005. The complex is centred on Buddhist worship and teaching, with prayer wheels, statuary and ritual spaces. In 2025 it also hosted sacred relics of Buddha Shakyamuni brought from India for temporary public veneration.

The khurul’s official visitor information identifies the Golden Abode of Buddha Shakyamuni as the principal Buddhist temple of Kalmykia. The site was consecrated for construction by the 14th Dalai Lama in 2004, and the temple was inaugurated on 27 December 2005. The complex is arranged for both worship and teaching, with a large Buddha Shakyamuni image, prayer wheels and sacred art reflecting Tibetan and Kalmyk Buddhist traditions.

Visitors are encouraged to follow customary clockwise movement and respectful behaviour in worship areas. These practices are religious observances rather than evidence for supernatural claims. The temple’s importance lies in its active role in the revival and public expression of Buddhism in Kalmykia as well as in its prominent contemporary architecture.